Bear Down Wildcats

The 2016-2017 season is here with the start of fall camp (well, august 3rd). How is everyone feeling about this next year? Last year was okay in the sense that Arizona was 7-6, but the defense and Arizona Pac-12 record (3-6) was awful. I do believe there is optimism for this new year. The defense can be better than last year (which isn't saying much) with the new coaches and scheme, and one can hope that the center can get the ball to the QB at a consistent rate. The offense has talent and experience, but the defense can be hit and miss. If you don't remember below is this seasons schedule.

BYU (neutral site)
Grambling
Hawaii
Washington
@UCLA
@Utah
USC
BYE
Stanford
@WSU
Colorado
@Oregon State
ASU

I will go with the lower prediction of 6-6 until we hear more from fall camp.

I'm going with 8-4. Last year, as much as the offense had to scramble around the injuries to Solomon and Wilson, they still won 6 and should have won two more. The defense is going to be better if only because they can't really get much worse, and I think they dig up a couple of wins based on getting that extra stop they couldn't get against teams like Wazzu. Having a bye week is going to be a huge help.

BYU - win (ugly, but a win)
Grambling - win
Hawaii - win
Washington - loss (closer than expected)
UCLA - loss
Utah - win
USC - loss
Stanford - loss (but much closer than 55-17)
Wazzu - win (good chance they'll be ranked)
Colorado - win
Oregon State - win
ASU - win

BYU has a new coach and they're shuffling some guys. Washington has a very strong returning core of players. UCLA is to Arizona what Arizona is to Utah. USC... new coach and new QB but they have horses on the lines (they could be ripe for stealing one, though.) Stanford is going to be too much for a scrappy AZ team. Arizona should have beaten Wazzu last year and failed to capitalize on chances. Colorado... perpetual rebuild, it seems. Oregon St. is still in turmoil. ASU is going to find itself in a hornet's nest when they get here, and if they can't punch above their weight during the season, this could be a make-or-break game for Graham's job.

I went with 7-5 as I think we split that BYU/Utah game (not sure which we win). Hoping the defense is just better at one thing, turning the opposing offense over. That should be enough to be an improved defense for me

I say 8 wins. Probably too high but we'll see after training camp.

BYU (neutral site) - Win..BYU has a new HC
Grambling - Win
Hawaii - Win
Washington - Win - home game upset
@UCLA - Loss - They just have our number....and a shit load of talent not to mention Rosen..best QB in P12
@Utah - Win - We have their number
USC - Loss - Too big..too talented..we'll stumble early due to nerves and make it a close game...they still win though
BYE - we won't lose this week...yay!!
Stanford - Ug..Loss..they are bigger, smarter, and well coached. What's his name will run all over us and win Heisman.
@WSU - Win - I don't know how because they are better, but I think we steal this one..
Colorado - Win - they are Colorado
@Oregon State - We will lose this one because I think it is a trap game. We will be looking ahead to ASU and too confident.
ASU - Win...because we *have to win* ...and they suck

Put me in the 7-5 camp as well.

I see a verrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy longggggggggggg season for UA football fans. Unfortunately our new defensive coaches have inherited an empty cupboard. To make matters worse our defensive line seems to be losing players faster than the LB corps did last year. The offense should be solid but I doubt Anu survives the entire year....Dawkins needs to be ready to go.

BYU (neutral site) Tossup
Grambling Win
Hawaii Win
Washington Loss
@UCLA Loss
@Utah Loss
USC Loss
BYE
Stanford Loss
@WSU Loss
Colorado Win
@Oregon State Win
ASU Tossup

At this point I will see the glass as half full and say we win both tossups for 6-6 season.

dmjcat wrote:I see a verrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy longggggggggggg season for UA football fans. Unfortunately our new defensive coaches have inherited an empty cupboard. To make matters worse our defensive line seems to be losing players faster than the LB corps did last year. The offense should be solid but I doubt Anu survives the entire year....Dawkins needs to be ready to go.

BYU (neutral site) Tossup
Grambling Win
Hawaii Win
Washington Loss
@UCLA Loss
@Utah Loss
USC Loss
BYE
Stanford Loss
@WSU Loss
Colorado Win
@Oregon State Win
ASU Tossup

At this point I will see the glass as half full and say we win both tossups for 6-6 season.

Completely agree, I find it very difficult to see how we get to 8 wins with our schedule. 6 wins is what I voted for and seems reasonable as I do think we beat ASU this year but I personally think we lose to BYU but beat WSU in a shoot out.

I never bet against U of A sports but that feels like easy money to me to bet the Under. The O/U for us is 7.5 but Stan is 8 and Utah is 6.5...that all seems like easy money

Easy money on the under for Washington. The hype for them is baffling

Agree on that one too - Be curious everyones thought but for every team mine are below

UA 7.5 - Take the Under for sure, I just dont see 8+ wins on the table with our defense
ASU 6 - I would take the over, I think they will be better then people think
Cal 6 - I would take the under
Col 4.5 - Over but just barely
Ore 8.5 - Over for sure
OSU 3.5 - Tough call, probably over but tough
Stan 8 - Over and easy money
UCLA 9 - I think they will win 9 games so wouldnt bet this one
USC 9.5 - Under for sure, I think Helton is a bum
Utah 6.5 - Over for sure, this seems really low
UW 10 - Under for sure though I do think they will be good
WSU 7 - I think over but kind of tough

Az under
ASSU just right but if I had to pick it would be over
Cal under without Goff and playing the big 3 of the north
CU under
Oregon under
OSU over
Furd over
UCLA just right but if I had to choose it would be over
USC under
Utah under
UDUB just right but if I had to pick it would be over
Wazzu over

azcat49 wrote:Az under
ASSU just right but if I had to pick it would be over
Cal under without Goff and playing the big 3 of the north
CU under
Oregon under
OSU over
Furd over
UCLA just right but if I had to choose it would be over
USC under
Utah under
UDUB just right but if I had to pick it would be over
Wazzu over

So you think Washington will have 11+ wins?

AZ - I'll take the over. I don't like to bet against the Cats and I think they have some surprises in store for us.
ASU - I'll take the under. Irrational hatred? Maybe. But they don't have any experience at QB. They're replacing 4 O-linemen. Their top receiving threats are gone. Their secondary doesn't look to be getting any better.
Cal - under. Losing Goff is too big of a hit.
Colorado - over. They're gonna take a game no one expected. Maybe a Cali school.
Oregon - under. They're showing some cracks and Prukop is gonna be thrown into the fire.
Oregon St. - over. Barely.
Stanford - over but barely.
UCLA - over
USC - under
Utah - over but only by that half game
Washington - over. I'm buying. CP has then humming and they return a lot of good talent. I think this year they finally break the Ducks' streak.
WSU - over.

azpenguin wrote:AZ - I'll take the over. I don't like to bet against the Cats and I think they have some surprises in store for us.
ASU - I'll take the under. Irrational hatred? Maybe. But they don't have any experience at QB. They're replacing 4 O-linemen. Their top receiving threats are gone. Their secondary doesn't look to be getting any better.
Cal - under. Losing Goff is too big of a hit.
Colorado - over. They're gonna take a game no one expected. Maybe a Cali school.
Oregon - under. They're showing some cracks and Prukop is gonna be thrown into the fire.
Oregon St. - over. Barely.
Stanford - over but barely.
UCLA - over
USC - under
Utah - over but only by that half game
Washington - over. I'm buying. CP has then humming and they return a lot of good talent. I think this year they finally break the Ducks' streak.
WSU - over.

Going 7-6 last year with only top 30 or so recruiting is humming?

ASUHATER! wrote:

azpenguin wrote:AZ - I'll take the over. I don't like to bet against the Cats and I think they have some surprises in store for us.
ASU - I'll take the under. Irrational hatred? Maybe. But they don't have any experience at QB. They're replacing 4 O-linemen. Their top receiving threats are gone. Their secondary doesn't look to be getting any better.
Cal - under. Losing Goff is too big of a hit.
Colorado - over. They're gonna take a game no one expected. Maybe a Cali school.
Oregon - under. They're showing some cracks and Prukop is gonna be thrown into the fire.
Oregon St. - over. Barely.
Stanford - over but barely.
UCLA - over
USC - under
Utah - over but only by that half game
Washington - over. I'm buying. CP has then humming and they return a lot of good talent. I think this year they finally break the Ducks' streak.
WSU - over.

Going 7-6 last year with only top 30 or so recruiting is humming?

They lost almost their entire front seven after 2014, and they started a freshman QB, freshman RB, and a very inexperienced OL last year. They still beat USC, destroyed Washington State (and of course they curbstomped AZ) and damn near got Oregon. Browning improved a lot over the year. This year they return ten starters on offense including Browning, Gaskin, and the O-line (the center hasn't played center but he's been at all other O-line spots.) They return a lot of experience on defense and that defense got better as the year went along. Last year was pretty much a complete rebuild for them and they still won 7.

ain't buying it. uw is a 7-8 win team this year in my opinion. the fact that so many people practically have them as a national title contender just makes my brain hurt.

I wouldn't go that far, but they're a threat in a down year in the North.